The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-08-26
NO SUBURBAN BOOM.
THE HERALD,
Salt Lake City, Utah.

1t will be a long time before any
boom which may assert itself in Sail
Lake will reach such proportions as will
carry it beyond the present occupied
limits Of the city; that is to say, will
create q real estate craze as to the
suburbs and surrounding country. This
should be evident to every intelligent
person. Salt Lake is truly city of
magnificent distances. 1t is spread out
over more territory than is occupied by
an equal number of inhabitants in a
municipal capacity in any other city
on the globe. Our city lots contain an
acre and quarter each, or as much as
blocks in some cities, while our blocks
contain 1000 square rods-enough ter
ritory for a ward In the ordinary
American city. Perhaps twenty
square miles are included in the jnheb-
tied portion of the corporation, or
nearly square mile for every thousand
people. Outside a few central blocks,
the lots remain as originally plated
200 square rods to the lot, each held
and occupied by one family. What
would they think in Kansas City, Den
yer, Los Angeles, Wichita, or Omaha
about land being worth so little in the
city that poor family could afford to
occupy an acre and a quarter, and
devote the soil to the cultivation of
beets and onions They. wouldn't
expect the boom price to go
very far beyond the center of
the town while such con-
dition of things existed. Nor do
We expect it here. Neither is it desir-
able that it shall. While Salt Lake was
village it was pretty and proper and
healthtul for the people to spread out.
1t was better that they should have
room and air, and be as free as possible
from e.bustle and noise incident to
closer residence. Now, however, that
Salt Lake is assuming the proportions
and airs Of city it will be better if the
people will come nearer to each other,
and occupy less land. It will be be tter
in this, that it will enable US all to live
more cheaply and enjoy more of the
conveniences and comforts of life. We
are spread out over so much territory
now that it seems impossible that more
than few can obtain the advantages
which usually go with life in a
extended to the outskirts, because
there are so few people to take the ser
vice. In the ordinary city there would be
perhaps forty or even more water ser
vice pipes in forty rods: here there may |
be three or four. This necessarily |
makes the water rate high, for three or
four, presumably at least, have to pay |
what the forty would elsewhere. They
have to pay as !muchI if the rates are
based on the theory that the consumers
should pay the interest on the, cost of
the water works. If there were forty
services on the block, it would be no
trick at all to extend the mains all over
the city. The same thing may be said
as to gas. 1t does not pay the gas
company to put down mains across
a block so as to carry the
gas to two or three consumers.
The rule also applies to the
running of street cars, and to other
things Of public character involving
large outlsys of money. 1 costs as
much to lay and maintain a track and
run car on line when there are fifty
an hour, as when there are
five hundred.
The territory now inhabited in Salt
Lake City limits will not be thickly oc-
supied, as the word is understood, when ]
there are five people here to one now on !
the ground. There is, therefore, not
much prospect for any immediate out
side booming. Before there will be a
rush for the suburbs, the centre will I'LL ,
up, and lots now occupied by a single
family will be cut up and divided until {
they provide abiding places for three or !
four families. This will be as 1t should
be, for it will hasten improvements
and extend advantages and con-
veniences to the people faster than will +
be done if the inhabitants were to GO on 8
spreading" instead of punching |